Crime

Drama

Straight Time

First Artists

Sweetwall

Warner Bros. Pictures

United States of America

广州话 / 廣州話

English

Español

Dustin Hoffman

Theresa Russell

Gary Busey

Harry Dean Stanton

M. Emmet Walsh

Rita Taggart

Kathy Bates

Sandy Baron

Jake Busey

Peter Kwong

Fran Ryan

Edward Bunker

Tina Menard

Stephanie Ericsson

Dave Kelly

Don Sommese

Kit Jee Wong

Jane Howard

Bob Jarvis

Ulu Grosbard

Alvin Sargent

Jeffrey Boam

Nancy Dowd

Michael Mann

Stanley Beck

Tim Zinnemann

Gail Mutrux

Howard Pine

Owen Roizman

Sam O'Steen

Randy Roberts

Dianne Crittenden

Stephen B. Grimes

Dick Lawrence

Marvin March

Vivienne Walker

Bob Westmoreland

Jack Roe

Everett Creach

Sorin Serene Pricopie

Alan Gibbs

Victor Paul

Dick Ziker

Robert M. Stevens

John Franco

Larry Holt

David Shire

Barry Bedig

John Caper Jr.

Susan Leslie Battles

James E. Webb

Richard Portman

I got stomach trouble... no guts.

Based on ex-convict Eddie Bunker's novel, No Beast So Fierce, pic pitches Dustin Hoffman as ex-con Max Dembo, who after being released from prison has every intention to go straight. Easier said than done, though...

It's hard to believe that Straight Time is often thought of as under seen, a hidden gem of the 1970s, this given that it stars Dustin Hoffman and the advent of the internet years has seen it garner votes and reviews aplenty. Yet it does seem to be a pic that doesn't get its due credit, annoying since it's one of Hoffman's greatest performances.

Hoffman loved the material and heavily sought to direct and star in it. Something which proved too hard for him to do. He was humble enough to recognise this fact and brought in friend Ulu Grosbard to direct while he concentrated on the acting side of things - result!

There is absolutely no glamour on show here, Max is surrounded by weasels, slime balls, junkies and perpetual thieves, while his own mental fortitude is suspect at best. It's both gripping and disturbing, this world he inhabits, no excuses are put forward, no "woe is me" tales, he ultimately accepts his lot.

Hoffman is backed by superb performances from Harry Dean Stanton, M. Emmet Walsh and Gary Busey, and Theresa Russell gives quality turn as the naive woman in Max's life - no token here, she's in the grip of a homme career criminal and not merely here to look pretty and doe eyed.

As a character study it positively bristles with brains and foolish brawn, and Grosbard directs with unfussy skill whilst showing a very good eye for a dramatic action scene. Studio interference would hurt the pic upon release, but now this can be seen as a film of great worth. 9/10

Straight Time (1978) Original Trailer [FHD]

Josh Olson on Straight Time

David Shire - Straight Time (1978)

Best Movies

Straight Time

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Dustin Hoffman

Theresa Russell

Gary Busey

Harry Dean Stanton

M. Emmet Walsh

Rita Taggart

Kathy Bates

Sandy Baron

Jake Busey

Peter Kwong

Box office

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